Pretty office inspiration from BHG
Hello! A while ago I mentioned we were doing some construction downstairs, so today I’m sharing an update. This post focuses on the before and progress photos—after shots will come later—but I know many readers enjoy seeing the work as it unfolds, so here’s what’s happened so far.
My daughter Courtney, who has worked with me full time for over two years, and I usually meet at my house most weekdays to work. Meeting together keeps us on a regular schedule and helps us stay focused. Our work includes computer tasks, creative projects, and storage for supplies, so we needed a quiet office with a door to minimize distractions from the dogs, boys, and household noise.
In our previous home we had a small office, but as our business has grown with more books and projects, our need for workspace and storage has expanded. The original office in this house was too small for both of us, so we decided to convert that upstairs room into a guest room and relocate the office to the lower level.
Before we bought the house we fell for the lower level because it’s filled with natural light. It’s a walk-out basement but partially below grade, and unlike many Seattle basements that are dark or have low ceilings, this space felt bright and open. It also includes a white brick fireplace, which was a nice bonus.
Another thing we liked was the flexibility of the space. While we enjoyed the wide-open layout, we knew down the road we’d want to divide it so it would be more functional and serve multiple purposes.
It took some time to decide how and where to create a partition, but we landed on a plan that works now and remains adaptable for the future. When our painter came to refresh the interior walls, he brought along a contractor. Although we hadn’t planned to build the wall immediately, the contractor was available and the price made sense, so we decided to get the wall built at the same time as the painting.
Progress is always motivating. In the photo above you can see a change to the staircase: we discovered wood under the carpet on the steps. We removed the carpet and painted the treads (Kendall Charcoal, the same color from our previous kitchen cabinets). I’ll share a full stairway makeover later, but there are some early glimpses here.
Excuse the dark, grainy phone photos—I tended to take progress shots at the end of the day after the painters left and didn’t want to lug my camera around.
The new office wall begins near the bottom of the stairs. The resulting office is a comfortable size—not huge but perfectly suited to our needs. It has two distinct areas: one side for desks and workstations, and the adjoining side—formerly the workout room—that will serve as a studio and project area.
We had hoped to use a room for exercise equipment, but in a small house it’s hard to justify devoting a whole room to a treadmill or machine that won’t be used daily. Fortunately, the laundry room down the tiled hall in the basement is large enough to accommodate a small treadmill or other fitness gear when needed.
I love that the office has an exterior door. It’s pleasant to open for fresh air and convenient for coming and going. In the future this room could easily function as a mudroom if we decide to relocate the office or use only the studio side.
I’ll share more about the family room side soon; that area still feels bright and open. You can still see through to the fireplace from the stairs, so the overall space keeps an airy, connected feeling. Adding the new wall actually makes furniture placement easier and gives the area a more defined, usable layout instead of an awkward, undefined flow.
Even though my evening phone photos look dark, the rooms are still flooded with natural light and we’re very pleased with the progress. The drywall is finished and painted, so we’re moving quickly toward the next steps: new flooring and window blinds. New floors will create a dramatic transformation and help complete the rooms. I’ll post more updates as we decide on flooring and continue the work.
Renovation projects always bring a period of chaos, and I prefer feeling settled, so living through big changes can be stressful. We still have a lot to do, but the work we’re doing is relatively minor compared with major remodels, and it will be worth it in the end. Considering the short time we’ve been in the house, we’re grateful to have already made so much progress.
Have a great day!
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Inspired By: Pretty Office Inspiration Boards
Our white brick fireplace (the other side of this downstairs space!)